24-MONTH BRENT SPOT PRICE TRAJECTORY & CORRIDOR
Unbuffered Cartel Price
SPR-Buffered Clearing Price
Buffer Corridor ($68-$88)
CHINA STRATEGIC PETROLEUM INVENTORY & NET DAILY BUFFER FLOWS
SPR Level (Mb)
Buffer Flow (Mb/d)
Month 12: Buffered $87.80 | Unbuffered $104.20 | SPR Flow: -2.8 Mb/d
Market Mechanics: When OPEC+ implements supply restrictions, unbuffered spot prices spike over $100/bbl, causing capex boom-bust cycles. China's inventory release caps prices within the buffer ceiling, dampening market variance by 34.8% and securing capital planning certainty for global energy infrastructure.